As Valentines day passes, and we look to Easter, mother's, and father's day, many beautiful vases of flowers are being passed around! It wasn't until I adopted Bandit and Ghost in 2020 that I found out that many common flowers used in everyday bouquets are also toxic or harmful to cats! If you are giving some flowers to someone you care for and know that they share a home with feline furamiliy, it might be good to be a little choosier to make sure you don't have any unexpected outcomes.
Last time I went to a florist and asked for their help iin picking a non-toxic arrangement, they were not aware of the effect flowers could have on cats and was scrolling through their phone surprised at how many are toxic for cats! They just kept saying "I didn't know!"
Before I proceed, please know that I am not a professional veterinarian, and encourage you to ask an established veterinarian to get their professional opinion before any actions are taken. I’m just an overprotective guardian of cats on the internet who wants to defeat FeLV, and share what I have learned to help keep your cat safe!
To make it as simple as possible, I'm going to list 10 common flowers that are toxic and non toxic to help know what is OK and what to avoid:
Flowers Toxic to cats:
| Flower Name | Picture |
| Lilies Extremely Toxic (Quickly Kidney Failure) |
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| Baby’s breath |
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| Azaleas |
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| Tulips |
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| Irises |
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| Chrysanthemum |
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| Hyacinth |
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| Daffodils |
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| Hydrangea |
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| Dahlia |
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Note: Marijuana is also toxic to cats.
Flowers Safe for cats:
| Flower Name | Picture |
| Roses |
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| Orchid |
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| Freesia |
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| Gerbera Daisies |
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| Impatiens |
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| Snap Dragons |
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| Sunflowers |
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| Hibiscus |
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| Madagascar Jasmine |  |
| Lisianthus |  |
Overall, it's best to keep flowers out of reach when possible to preserve the flower's beauty, but sometimes the new item in the house is just too interesting to pass up, and a cat might get access, so it's always better to err on the side of safety!
Wishing you all happy flowery days!
